Every day do something that will inch you closer to a better tomorrow. Doug Firebaugh

The snail does not worry that the journey is long and the pace is slow. He knows that setting his sights on the goal and working steadily toward it will get him where he needs to go. Why then, do we insist that we must work harder and go faster to reach our goals?

Maybe the fast-paced world we live in has colored our view and made us believe that speed is the ultimate weapon. Maybe it is because we have been conditioned to think that we deserve to enjoy the fruits of our labor now - not later. Maybe we are just short-sighted and are afraid of losing sight of the goal if we slow down our pace.

I suspect that, like me, you are guilty of expecting to move too fast as you rush headlong toward your goals. I am reminded today to slow down and take stock of where I am, to take a close look at how far I've come and only then look at what still needs to be done to reach my sometimes elusive goals. I will practice doing something every day that will inch me closer to my dreams, but I will let go of the notion that life is a race and that I must accomplish everything today. I will celebrate the knowledge that I am on my way and that I will reach the goals when it is time.

Won't you join me today? Take a moment to relax and make the decision to do just one thing today that will lead your forward. We can always find a way to improve our lives, even in meager circumstances. If you are homebound, do something to make your home more enjoyable. If you join the masses and work outside the home, do something to improve your workplace. If you are like me and work from home, take a moment to organize your desk or hang an inspirational poster. Smell a flower, hug a child, listen to the wind. Do something to start you on your way.

Today, I am grateful for new opportunities that come my way. I am grateful for the rain that promises to finally whisk away the snow, for the deer that bounds across the road in search of green shoots, for the birds who await the arrival of spring, and for gray clouds that burst open and shed water upon the earth.

I am grateful for indoor plumbing that my mother lived nearly her entire life without, for a cozy home that keeps me warm and safe, and for healthy food to fuel the body. I am grateful for great minds that share their knowledge with the world, for authors who share their vision of the world with me, and for artists who make the world a brighter place.

I am grateful for the vast beauty of the Universe, the song of birds, and the smell of spring. 

And, I am grateful for you, dear reader, as you stop and share my day. May you be blessed with the knowledge that doing just one thing a day to inch closer to your goals is enough to get you there.